This disclosure relates to a face seal for a gas turbine engine.
A face seal that is installed within an engine bearing compartment extends between first and second seal end faces. One of the seal end faces contacts a rotating seal face plate. The seal face plate is mounted for rotation with a rotor shaft. The end face that contacts the seal face plate is referred to as the “nose.”
Future aircraft engine products require cycles that have significantly higher rotor speeds than traditionally defined cycles. Higher rotor speeds accordingly result in higher bearing compartment seal rubbing speeds. Traditionally, to reduce friction and wear, the width of the nose has been minimized as much as possible. In one known configuration, the industry calls for nose widths to be 0.150 inches (0.381 centimeters) or less.
In the past, improved carbon materials have been used to increase seal wear life. However, current carbon materials do not provide the desired wear life for future higher rotor speed requirements.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved face seal that can provide a desired seal wear life at high rotor speeds, as well as addressing the other short comings discussed above.